Latch for securing a receptacle to a support frame

ABSTRACT

AN ELONGATED LATCH ARM FOR EXTENSION INTO A KEEPERDEFINING OPENING PROVIDED IN THE DEPENDING FLANGE OR SKIRT OF A RECEPTACLE, AND MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE OUTER END OF THE LATCH ARM UPON A SUPPORT FRAME SUCH AS A MOBILE SPIDER FOR MAINTAINING AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED DISPLACEMENT.

Jan. 12, 1971 L. MILLER 3,554,573

LATCH FOR SECURING A RECEPTACLE TO A SUPPORT FRAME Filed March 11, 1969 FIG-.5

INVENTOR LESTER M l LLEF ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,554,573 LATCH FOR SECURING A RECEPTACLE TO A SUPPORT FRAME Lester Miller, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Contico International, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Mar. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 806,246 Int. Cl. B62b 3/04 US. Cl. 28079.2

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated latch arm for extension into a keeperdefining opening provided in the depending flange or skirt of a receptacle, and means for engaging the outer end of the latch arm upon a support frame such as a mobile spider for maintaining against unauthorized displacement.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to means for detachably engaging a receptacle, such as a pail, bucket, tank or the like, upon a support frame and, more particularly, to a latch arm receivable within a keeper-defining opening in the receptacle; said latch being engaged upon the support frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a latch for effecting interengagement between a receptacle and a support frame therefor, such as, for instance, a mobile spider, so as to assure stability of the receptacle during usage including movement of the frame while allowing ease of disposition within operative position and removal therefrom.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a latch of the type stated which may be readily adapted for utilization with existing receptacles without necessitating costly modification.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a latch of the type stated which can be manipulated without the use of extrinsic tools.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a latch of the type stated which is economical in manufacture so that the same may be cheaply replaced if lost; and which is reliable and durable in usage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bucket-type receptacle mounted upon a mobile spider and being interconnected thereto by latch means.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mobile spider.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the mobile spider.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the latch arm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A generally designates a mopping unit comprising a receptacle 1 and a support frame 2; such units A being of the type adapted for carrying conventional mop wringers (not shown) or for ready transport from location to location during cleaning operations. For purposes of illustration, receptacle 1 is of conventional cylindrical character being formed of metal and having an upstanding side wall 3 and bottom wall 4; said side wall 3 extending downwardly of bottom wall 4 to define an annular support flange or skirt 5, the lower end of which may be reversely turned to form a reinforcing bead 6.

3 Claims 3,554,573 Patented Jan. 12, 1971 ice Said receptacle 1 is thus of general tank, bucket or pail character being of predetermined volume.

Support frame 2, for exemplary purposes, comprises a spider 7 having a plurality of arms 8 radiating from a hub 9; said arms being presented at 90 intervals; but it is understood that any number of such arms may be incorporated as desired. Each of said arms 8, adjacent their outer extremities, are provided with a short, upstanding detent or abutment 10; being so located upon the respective arm 8 as to abut the inner face of flange 5 of receptacle 1 adjacent the lower portion of flange 5 (see FIG.

' 2). It will thus be seen that arms 8 are of greater extent than the radius of receptacle 1 to present extensions 11 radially outwardly thereof when frame 2 is in supporting, operative relationship with respect to receptacle 1. In the outer portions of extension 11, each arm 8 is vertically drilled and tapped to provide a bore 12 for alignment with an opening 13 formed in the upper or web portion 14 of a depending clevis 15 for supporting a roller or caster 16 upon a transversely extending pin 17. Extending upwardly through opening 13 and threaded within aligned bore 12, is a stud 18, the upper end of which projects above the upper surface of arm 8 to a point generally planar-aligned with bottom wall 4 of receptacle 1.

Receptacle flange 5, between reinforcing head 6 and bottom Wall 4, is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart apertures 19, as of slot-like character; said apertures 19 being located for correspondence to a support frame arm 8 so that the same will be presented in radial alignment with the adjacent stud 18 (FIG. 1). Provided for extension at its inner end through each aperture 19 is an elongated flat latch arm 20, having a width and thickness slightly less than the width and height of the associated aperture 19 for facilitating extension therethrough and withdrawal therefrom. In their outer end portions, each latch arm has formed therein an annular opening 21 of such diameter as to be received upon stud 18. In order to prevent unauthorized movement of latch arms 20 relatively upwardly of the related studs 18, there is provided a retaining nut 22 threadedly engaged upon the upper projecting end of the related stud 18 and for bearing engagement upon its undersurface against the confronting surface portion of the proximate latch arm 20.

It will be seen that with latch arms 20 received within apertures 19, the latter serve as keepers so that by such interengagement receptacle 1 is stabilized upon support frame 2 being inhibited against relative upward movement as well as movement in a circumferential direction. Accordingly, by the coaction of latch arms 20 and apertures 19, receptacle 1 and support frame 2 are integrated to present a firm unit for intended operations, as including, mop wringing and the like.

Latch arms 20 may be easily removed from engaged relationship as by the mere uuthreading of retaining nut 22 and the downward loosening movement of stud 18; after which latch arm 20 is easily removed from engagement with stud 18 and thence pulled radially outwardly for allowing freeing of receptacle 1 from frame 2. The engaging action is merely the reversal of the foregoing as with stud 18 removed slightly downwardly, latch arm 20 is extended through its associated aperture 19 so as to present its opening 21 for alignment with stud 18 which is then threaded upwardly within bore 12; and with nut 22 then being suitably engaged.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination: a receptacle having a bottom wall and peripheral flange depending below said bottom wall; a support frame for said receptacle; detent members on said support frame for engaging the lower, inner edge of said receptacle flange, each detent member having an upper edge located spacedly downwardly of said bottom wall; said support frame having portions extending radially outwardly of said receptacle; there being at least one opening in said receptacle flange in the region between said receptacle bottom wall and the upper edge of said detents; at least one latch arm for extension within said flange opening; said latch arm being of flat, relatively elongate character having a width and thickness slightly less than the width and height of the associated flange opening, and means for engaging said latch arm to the proximate radially extending support frame portion.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by a roller mounted on each extended portion of said support frame for disposition downwardly thereof, each support frame extended portion having an opening, a relatively elongate screw received within each of said openings to engage said roller to the related support frame extended portion, said screw vertically projecting upwardly of the associated support frame extended portion; said latch arm being located in a plane spacedly upwardly of, and parallel to, the related extended portion; said means for engaging said latch arm to the support frames center portion comprising the upper projecting a portion of said screw, said latch arm having an opening in its outer portion for projection therethrough of said screw.

3. A combination as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said latch arm having a length greater than the length of the related support frame extended portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,665,922 1/1954 Bard 280-79 .2X 2,917,267 12/1959 Riddle 248-361 2,980,195 4/1961 Herbst 180-68.5 3,388,885 6/1968 Holmes 248--310 3,463,505 8/1969 German etal 2 80-79.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 241,784 11/1962 Australia 248154 LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner L. J. PAPERNER, Assistant Examiner 

